11 December, 2018
Hopkinton veterans remember Pearl Harbor, and other historic military events that happened on/about December 7th. The packed house of veterans began discussions with recollecting America's declaration of war against Austria-Hungary on 7 December 1917. This counted as the 13th country to similarly do so.
In many of our lifetimes, 68 years ago in North Korea, the epic battle of the "Frozen" Chosin Reservoir was deeply etched into history. At least 3 Hopkinton veterans (Gene Flannery, Bob Lavoie, and John Long, Sr.) experienced days on end of bitter cold of minus 30 degrees while thousands of Marines and soldiers struggled to stay alive, and escape the enemy. A hero of the escape from the Chosin was Gene Flannery who was the gunner in the tank that led two Marine regiments southerly down the main (only) supply route to safety. Despite brutal fire fights with the Chinese communist army along 14 miles of unprotected road, the majority of casualties were caused by frostbite.
Unforgettable are the happenings of 7 December 1941, 77 years ago at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Without doubt, this sneak attack by the Imperial Japanese military was a stark pivot-point in American history. Losses of aircraft (188) and personnel (2459 KIA) are well documented. William J. Robinson of Hopkinton survived the Japanese attack. Citizens throughout the United States were bewildered and frightened.
Kathleen L. MacLennan, 95, was a college freshman in 1941. She recalls being with her classmates huddled around a radio listening to the shocking news, and hoping that a scheduled exam for the next day, Monday, was going to be cancelled. The test was not cancelled!
Cristo H. Mastrogianis was 6 years old living in Salem, Mass. listening to the radio, and could tell his parents were disturbed by their faces. I wondered, "What is wrong?" Mother said, it's nothing, it's nothing. I asked myself, "Why won't they tell me?" I remembered going to the living room window; it was cloudy and damp looking.
As an eleven-year-old at the dining room table with her aunt, "Jo-Jo" Foster, soon to be 89, remembers the radio broadcast telling them the United States were bombed; they couldn't believe it. Everyone was in danger; nothing could be done; there were 100s of planes. My aunt was shocked. We were in absolute shock that it could happen to the United States; it was the first time ever. I said, "Oh my God. Oh my God." No one had ever done that.
Tony Apuzzo was from Astoria, Queens, NY. It was Sunday at 3pm, he was lying in bed resting, and listening to the radio. The broadcast was interrupted. When sound returned he learned the United States had been bombed -- he didn't know where Pearl Harbor was. The next day, 8 December 1941, he enlisted with the help of an altered birth certificate. He was 16.
